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2/6/2014 9:05 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF

breaking news

The Jamaican Bobsled team is officially back in business ... after their missing luggage was finally located in Sochi.

Team Jamaica's Winter Olympics experience got off to a bad start when they arrived to Russia ahead of their luggage ... which contained clothing, uniforms, helmets and other important bobsledding stuff.

But good news ... the luggage finally arrived to Sochi around midnight ... and today, the team hit the track for a pre-Olympics training sesh.

Don't worry ... the lucky egg* was probably a carry-on.

*note -- the lucky egg was popularized in the propaganda film, "Cool Runnings" ... no word if it actually exists.

2/6/2014 7:04 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF

Cedric Ceballos wants Budweiser to BE STRONGER in its stand against the situation in Sochi ... saying pulling out isn't enough -- he wants the company to declare an all out P.R. war on Russia.

We broke the story ... Budweiser decided NOT to throw its traditional Club Bud party at the Winter Olympics this year -- and according to internal documents obtained by TMZ Sports, it's all because Bud fears the terror threat in Sochi is looming too large.

Bud has not issued a public statement explaining the decision -- but the former NBA star tells TMZ Sports, he thinks the company has a duty to back up their actions with strong words.

"I think they should come out with a statement. I mean, they always make statements in commercials with their product,. somebody either the President or the CEO should make a statement."

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2/5/2014 2:25 PM PST BY TMZ STAFF

EXCLUSIVE

There's no Bud for you, Sochi ... TMZ Sports has learned Budweiser has decided to NOT throw its traditional Winter Olympics party this year and it's all because the company is not comfortable with the situation in Russia.

In the past, Budweiser was known for hosting huge parties -- like the Club Bud bashes during the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and at the 2006 Olympics in Turin.

But we've learned ... the King of Beers has decided it won't be throwing a similar party at the '14 Games ... at least, that's the plan for now.

In fact, we've seen an email from a Budweiser rep which says the company does not want its U.S.-based representatives in Sochi ... and the message is clear -- the terrorist threat is simply looming too large.

A rep for Anheuser-Busch confirms to TMZ Sports ... there will be no Club Bud in Sochi -- but the rep didn't give a reason for why the company is not throwing the party.

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2/4/2014 5:35 PM PST BY TMZ STAFF

EXCLUSIVE

No one abuses Mark Spitz's trademark mustache and gets away with it ... so says Mark Spitz, who claims a pill company had the balls to jack his follically-enhanced image to hawk energy pills without permission.

The U.S. Olympic legend has filed a lawsuit against New Vitality -- an online vitamin and supplement company that allegedly used an old-school photo of Mark in an ad for one of their products called PowerQ10.

In the ad, Spitz gives a testimonial about how much he loves to use the product to support his energy levels and heart health.

Problem is, Mark says he never agreed to allow the company to use his name, his image or his mustache to endorse any New Vitality product and now he's looking for big fat check to make things right. He also wants punitive damages.

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1/30/2014 12:15 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF

EXCLUSIVE

U.S. Olympic badass Nastia Liukin is off to Mother Russia to cover the Winter Games in Sochi ... but despite reports of violent threats and suicide bombers, the 5'3" gymnast tells TMZ Sports she's NOT AFRAID.

Liukin -- who was actually born in Moscow before moving to the U.S. at 2-years-old -- is covering the games for NBC ... and will be spending more than a month in Putin country.

Before she took off Wednesday morning, the 2008 gold medalist told us, "Although there are no guarantees given the world we live in, I'm confident that the Russian government and NBC Olympics are doing everything they can to make the Games as safe as possible."

She adds, "NBC has nearly 1,000 people in Russia already and I'm told they are overwhelmed and comfortable with the unprecedented security that has been deployed."

Still, the U.S. government isn't taking any chances ... there are 2 American warships on standby in the region just in case anything goes wrong.

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1/19/2014 7:50 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF

breaking news

Elton John is HUGE in Russia ... so gay people should feel totally welcome at the Olympics -- this according to President Vladimir Putin, who's trying like Hell to prove his country doesn't hate homosexuals.

Putin reiterated Russia would not discriminate against gay and lesbian athletes or visitors during the upcoming Sochi Olympics while speaking with the foreign press Sunday morning.

Putin used Elton as an example, calling him an "outstanding person (and) musician" -- and adding, "Millions of our people sincerely love him despite his orientation."

For what it's worth ... Elton spoke out against the country's "gay propaganda law" last month during a concert in Moscow saying, "In my opinion, it is inhumane and isolating."

10/3/2013 2:30 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

EXCLUSIVE

Olympic hurdler Lashinda Demus -- who won a silver medal at the 2012 Olympics -- says her husband tried to strangle her and threatened to kill her ... and she's now desperate for protection ... TMZ has learned.

Demus just got a temporary restraining order against her husband, Jamel Mayrant -- who was arrested and jailed a couple of weeks ago for domestic violence. She claims the attack left her with bruises and a lump on her head.

The restraining order also protects their twin 6-year-old boys and her parents -- because she claims he threatened all of them as well.

Demus also claims her husband is trashing her and damaging her career, saying in court docs, "I'm a professional athlete ... so I need no derogatory emails, pictures, texts, phone calls released about me on the web or to other people."

The restraining order requires Jamel to stay 100 yards away from Lashinda, the kids and her parents.

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